Are price comparison sites price-fixing?

In a statement today,
MoneySupermarket said that energy regulator "Ofgem have opened an
investigation into whether two or more companies providing a
supporting service for the energy industry have breached
competition law."

Ofgem confirmed today that the
investigation concerns "whether two or more parties have shared
information on the commission rates they charge to energy
suppliers." This raises questions around price fixing. This morning
MoneySupermarket's share price fell by more than 10% and Zoopla's
fell by 7%. Zoopla bought uSwitch for £160 million on Monday this
week.

This is not the first time commissions - or 'kickbacks' - have
landed comparison sites in trouble. Last year consumer collective
The Big Deal published research showing the Big Five switching
websites (MoneySupermarket, uSwitch, Go Compare, Compare the
Market, and Confused) all hid the cheapest deals from users online
and over the phone simply because those deals did not earn them a
kickback.

Responding to today's news about the Ofgem investigation, Will
Hodson, co-founder of consumer collective The Big Deal, said:

"Commissions are a cost that end up on our bills. If
comparison sites have been colluding to fix those commissions at a
high level, that is a scandal. Comparison sites should now publish
their commissions as a matter of urgency, but many consumers will
never trust them again.

"First they hid deals that didn't earn them a
kickback, and now they may be colluding to keep those kickbacks at
extortionate heights. The public has long been wary of the Big Six
suppliers, but if Ofgem discovers price fixing among the Big Five
comparison sites, we may have two cartels in one
industry."